𝑳𝑬𝑺 𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑰𝑳𝑬𝑺 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

City of the Dead ~ 31

"What are you two doing?" A rather exasperated voice called out from the end of the hallway and the little moment between them instantly disappeared, causing both of the boys to get up and turn around.

Yuma was met with Aizawa's blank expression, "Sensei..." he trailed off, not quite knowing what to say, "I had... to meet the principal."

Seemingly accepting his reasoning, he stepped towards them, "Todoroki?" He asked the other boy.

"I was waiting for Ayatsuru." Was his simple reply.

Yuma briefly peered at him, before he turned back to Aizawa, "Sorry, sensei, we'll get going now." He lightly bowed and Todoroki did the same.

Aizawa didn't say anything as he sent them a little nod.

Grabbing his bag, Yuma watched Todoroki do the same, the two of them walked past Aizawa and headed towards the end of the hallway, where the exit was.

_

"Are you going home?"

Yuma heard Todoroki ask, "Yeah. I've got nothing else to do." He stopped, raising his hand to block out the harshness of the setting sun. The colours had grown darker, much darker, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt his eyes still.

"Do you like sunsets?"

Came another question from the other boy. Did he like sunsets? He didn't... dislike them, but he also didn't like them in any particular way, "I don't know," he muttered, "I like the colours, I guess." Seeing the colours as they were, he couldn't help but think that the sky was sad. It was a weird thing to think about, but it was what it was, "You know..." he started, "My brother always seemed to have the perfect answer to every question of mine," Lightly, the wind blew and Yuma felt a light shiver go down his spine, "When I was younger, I never liked being away from him, so he once told me: Nous serons toujours sous le même ciel, non? Si tu es seul, tu n'auras que à lever les yeux et sache je serais là."

"What does it mean?" Todoroki asked from behind, his taller form soon coming to stand besides him.

Yuma's lips quirked up at the corners and as the dying sunlight lit up his features the resentment was clear in his eyes, "We will always be under the same sky, right? If you're alone, you'll just have to look up and know I'll be there."

There was no reply to what he said, not that he expected one in the first place.

He just had to look up to know that he was there? That had brought comfort to the young Yuma, but for the present Yuma? It brought him nothing but unneeded pain and anger. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he didn't quite know which one, a part of him would never be able to blame his brother.

There was probably something wrong with him, right? What sane person could continue on loving someone who brought them nothing but pain?

"Are you lonely, then?"

For a moment, the question caught him off guard. Lonely...? Was he? He wasn't alone any longer, but... was he still lonely? "That's a good question," he told Todoroki, turning to look at him, "I'll tell you when I find the answer."

Todoroki looked like he wanted to ask something else, but then his lips slipped shut, no words leaving them.

Yuma turned away, once again facing the dying light, "I'll see you tomorrow." With a small wave, he walked away.

_

The apartment door clicked open as he ran his key-card through the lock. Gently taking his shoes off, he pushed them to the side as he hung his backpack on the wall, before he walked through the hallway and went straight into the bathroom. The first thing he did was take a long shower. Then, he went into the living room and plopped atop the sofa with his hair still wet.